Ex-coach indicted on 15 counts; bail tops $1M

The indictment against Frederick Rames was filed yesterday in Circuit Court

An Oahu grand jury has indicted a former Wahiawa soccer coach on charges he sexually assaulted and molested six boys, ages 7 to 12, including one of his foster children.

The 15-count indictment filed yesterday in Circuit Court charges Frederick Rames with nine counts of third-degree sexual assault, three counts of tampering with a witness and two counts of first-degree sexual assault involving oral sex.

Police charged Rames, 65, twice in the last two weeks in separate cases involving the boys. The indictment filed yesterday consolidates all the charges brought against him. Prosecutors would not comment on whether there might be additional charges.

Chin had argued that after Rames was charged the first time on Sept. 23 and posted $150,000 bail, he allegedly confronted three of the alleged victims, "told them to lie to police, that police were bullies and to make up a lie that the fondling ever happened."

Rames, through his attorney William Harrison, contends he is innocent and that he was coerced into confessing because police detectives were badgering him. Police, according to court documents, said Rames had confessed to touching the boys and "teaching them how to masturbate."

Harrison also criticized the $1 million bail at Rames' District Court appearance on Monday, calling it "ridiculous."

Police have said the 7-year-old contracted venereal disease, but Harrison has said he will investigate whether it was from a family member.

Chin declined to respond yesterday to Harrison's earlier statements. "Mr. Rames' lawyer is free to say what he wants to say, and as an attorney I'm obligated not to comment on the credibility of the evidence."

Not all of the six boys and their families knew each other, Chin said. If they did, it was through playing on the soccer team that Rames coached.

Prosecutors are releasing few details about the case or the victims, saying they are very concerned with protecting the boys and their privacy.

"For any parent who has a child who would disclose something like this to parents -- it's something they want to keep private, and we really want to respect that and protect them," Chin said.